


Hoboken Dreams

by bibliotechpage



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 10:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4784405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliotechpage/pseuds/bibliotechpage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nat gets stood up. Bucky seizes the opportunity. Modern!AU (The song Love Is a Two Way Street by Kimbra couples well with this little ficlet, in my opinion. :))</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hoboken Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own the marvel characters. Wrote this basically because I love BuckyNat and I would love for them to become cannon in the MCU, since I can't have my Steggy.

He could see her from across the way. Fiery red hair cut just below her ears. A teal dress that reached her knees. The glass reflected the lights from the cars in the street causing them to dance across her legs as she sat next to floor length window of the restaurant. He noticed her earlier, glancing at the menu from time to time. He looked up at the clock and nodded back at the customer he just helped, giving a courteous smile as he always does. He couldn't believe she had been sitting there for as long as she had. With his shift almost ending, he promised himself that if she was still sitting there by the time he was done, he'd make his way over to the restaurant. He wasn't exactly dressed for the place, though it wasn't much more classier than where he was at. He was going to give it a shot.

30 minutes. An hour. An hour and a half. She could possibly understand 2 hours, but this was ridiculous. Her fingers tapped in rapid succession against the table top as she scrolled through her texts looking for any indicator that he wasn't coming. This had to be the umpteenth time she had agreed to someone setting her up. And this had to be the umpteenth time she was left like this. She must have been building some sort of reputation. The waiter came around to ask her if she wanted to order yet, but she declined yet again. Just as she was about to give up, a man appeared next to the table, out of breath. He reached for her hand and raised it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her skin.

"Sorry, I'm late. The foot traffic out there was unbelievable", he said in a distinctly Brooklyn accent. She couldn't help but notice his bright blue eyes beaming at her. Did she know him? He certainly didn't look the part of someone who was to meet up at a "higher-end" restaurant. He was dressed in a pair of casual fitted black trousers, a button down shirt with rolled up sleeves which allowed her to see his skin covered in an ink sleeve of tattoos on one arm. A snow covered mountain surrounded by clouds in a style akin to Japanese art. A red star closer to his wrist. It ended in what looked like a metal cuff consisting of three panels. His hair was a nod to 50s aesthetic- cut close on the sides of his head and perfectly parted and combed back on top. His glasses sealed the deal- black plastic frame on top with a silver metal underlay that seemed to enhance his eye color. Framing them to capture the light in his eyes. She was taken aback. Exchanging a small yet awkward smile, she asked through bated breath, "Do I know you?"

He maintained his proximity and whispered, "No", then brought his voice to a normal tone. "This is going to sound strange, but I noticed you sitting alone as I was working", he gestured across the way.

She raised an eyebrow in question, "Starbucks?"

He nodded as he sat down. "The name's Bucky. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She smirked, "Wait, your name is Bucky and you work at Starbucks?

"Well, my name is actually James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky is a childhood nickname, but it quickly became a thing to both employees and customers alike. So many people know me as Bucky", he shrugged.

"So what gave you the hint that I was here waiting?"

"I'm not sure I knew that you were waiting, but I did know that you are strikingly beautiful…" he gestured to her with open palms indicating his lack of information about her name.

"Natasha. Most people just call em Nat."

"Well, Nat. I figure that it would be foolish to not at least try to seize the opportunity."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Smooth."

"I try."

"And cocky."

The waiter came around again, giving Bucky a once over. Natasha wasn't sure whether it was a judging glare or a poor attempt to check him out.

"What may I get for you this evening?" he finally said.

Bucky nodded at Nat indicating she go first. She proceeded to order figuring she might as well, given the wait that she had already endured. Bucky added a bottle of chardonnay insisting that they share everything. The waiter came back around in what seemed like only a few minutes with the chardonnay and poured it properly into the wine glasses.

"To us", Bucky said raising a glass to Natasha's one, allowing the glass to clink. They both took a swig back and he continued with the conversation.

"So tell me more about yourself, Natasha. What brings you to the fine city of New York? I can tell by your accent you aren't a local. At least not from my parts of town."

"I'm from upstate. Currently, Soho. Here on… business. And you?"

"Brooklyn. Born and raised. Though my buddy Steve and I moved to Hoboken a few years back. More opportunity."

Natasha nodded in understanding gently sipping at her chardonnay.

"If I had the choice, I'd probably live here, too. I recently joined a company a few months ago. Not sure that it's going to be permanent."

"Oh? Why's that?"

She could see a warm and inviting intensity in his eyes. He looked at her as though he saw nothing else in the world, like she was that important. In that moment she knew she could trust him.

"It's definitely something that I enjoy- the artistry in the form of ballet. I can get lost in it. But the auditioning and the competition...I don't know. I feel like there could be something else I should be doing with my life, like helping people. I am not sure how. I know this ballet thing won't last forever. But it feels like it's just another chapter. I can finish and forget. Who the hell knows what happens next."

Bucky leaned in to catch her eyes which were downcast busily focusing on the wine she swished around in her glass. "Well, you know what? I say screw the next chapter! Just live in the moment. Essentially, that was the point of moving here, for me and Steve. We both had dreams and made it happen."

"What was that exactly?"

"He's still in the process. He and I both served in the army for a while. He actually met his girl while we were stationed in Germany. Brilliant woman she is. Part of some sector of the British Royal Navy. They plan on moving in together soon, once she's completed her tour. But since he met her, it's been her and opening a gallery at the forefront of his mind. He's got the perfect spot in town lined up. I know it's gonna work out for them. I can feel it", he paused.

"You and your friend seem really close, though, you still haven't told me about your dreams."

"Yeah, right. I had a simple dream. I just wanted to lay low. Become an entrepreneur. Own a coffee shop. Nothing Special. Once you get out of the Army, you want nothing else really. And so far, it's been working out better than I could have dreamed."

"You don't want the same? As Steve I mean? Find yourself someone. Settle down?" She slapped her palm to her forehead, "Sorry, you don't have to answer that."

Bucky shifted in his seat. "I don't mean to sound forward, but I kind of think that this, our meeting, was some kind of sign." He laughed at how ridiculous that sounded even to him. "I wasn't thinking about it, really, until I saw you. You seemed so unassuming. And patient."

Natasha was at a loss for words. She couldn't help but feel like it was some sort of element of kismet, too. Nothing else was working out for her, and maybe she found that person in someone she wasn't even looking for. He wasn't even looking for her. How else could this meeting be explained other than fate?

"No. No, it's not forward at all. I know what you mean. I've had terrible luck with pretty much everything else in my life. I am willing to give us a go. We are off to a pretty good start."

"We don't have to jump straight into it if you don't want to", Bucky chuckled, "I mean, we just met. I'd like to take this at a steady-as-she-goes sort of pace."

Natasha looked at him with disbelief. "I have no idea where you came from, because you are unreal. In the best way."

The night waned into the wee hours of the morning and they soon found themselves deep in conversation as Bucky walked her down the street showing her around the area of Hoboken. As their walk came to a close, he hailed her a cab.

"So are we doing this?"

Natasha looked down at the pavement, for a moment. "Yeah. We are." she responded.

She leaned in, balancing with a hand on the door of the cab and a hand on his shoulder, and placed a simple kiss on his cheek. She turned and fell into the seat closing the door behind her. He watched as the tail lights faded into the distance. He looked up to the stars in wonder. This was going to work out for him.


End file.
